Breaking The Divide
by scoutfinches
Summary: A story where two teenagers meet and change each other's perspectives forever. (You know... The fifties.. Yes, it's also about the bad things. Sort of.) A OC story for Battle Royale and a slight Grease crossover!
1. Chapter 1

_he lightning struck as she walked down the street in her saddle oxfords and long skirt._  
>In other words, typical attire of nineteen fifty-eight.<br>She was on the wrong side of town, the border of races. The small town of Jacksonville was a racial Mecca for the former residents of internment camps and the deep south alike. Both walks of life became relevant in the town; both races felt safe and at home.  
>It was something her more conservative parents had been wary of. They were worried about their daughter, they were not sure to trust the other people in the town.<br>The storm was raging as she walked past the line. She took a path in a alley into the Asian part of town. It was safer, she thought. It would keep her from getting wet in the rain.  
>"Don't do that! Honda, it's no good!" She heard the sizzle of a fire going out: the scrapping of a pair of shoes on the ground.<br>She turned to see two boys also standing in the alley. One had cooper colored hair, spiked up in plenty of different angles. His arms were wide open in frustration. "Hey!"  
>The girl turned in shock. She was unsure if he was calling her out or not.<br>"I can smoke if I want to, Utsumi. Gimme me a break!" The cooper haired boy, Honda, got out his pack and another cigarette.  
>He lit it as his friend, one she found quite attractive, frowned. "I'm just looking out for you. You don't wanna get lung cancer, do ya?"<br>"You're such a square! A big, four cornered, square! Go home to your grandmother and listen to more of her tall tales, will ya'?"  
>"I'm fine. And I think you're rilin' that cute girl over there. She looks scared." He moved one of his hands to get his hair out of his face.<br>She stood there, helpless. Utsumi stared at her. "Are you alright?"  
>She was a little frazzled from him looking over at her. "I'm alright. Thank you." She clutched her purse. "I was trying to take a shortcut home.. I'm sorry for bothering you." Lightning struck again. All three of them shivered in the cold rain.<br>"I could walk you home if you want." He offered her hand, not being aware of the consequences.  
>"I'm not so sure... I don't live around here."<br>"Do you think I care? It's hard to be caught out here at night, sweetheart. Girls shouldn't be out alone this late."  
>She smiled at Utsumi and took his hand. "Just this once." She pulled back quickly, feeling a slight shock. "Ouch!"<br>"I didn't mean to hurt you.. I apologize." He grabbed her hand again and held her purse for her.  
>"It's fine.. What about your friend?" She glanced at Honda, who was busy smoking his cigarette. "You told him not to smoke."<br>"He never listens to me. As bad as it is, just let him. He'll learn his lesson someday anyway." He looked down at her, taking time to admire what he could see of her features in the dark.  
>"You're the only one right about that. It's certain, really." She was leaning on him to keep warm. "What's your name?" Utsumi saw her doe eyes looking up into his. "I don't think it's a good idea to go home with a man who has no name."<br>"Utsumi. And you are?"  
>"Say your first name. I've heard your friend talking to you."<br>"Oh. Well, I've gotta girl's name. Maybe not."  
>"I'm not going home until you tell me your name! My name's a man's name, so there!"<br>Utsumi thought she was too feminine to actually follow through with what she had said. She was too cute for that, he decided. "My name's Kinji. I didn't mean to rile you. I'm very sorry, miss."  
>"I forgive you. I'm Hudson." He recognized her name almost instantly. He assumed her father was the town engineer. The one who also worked in Little Rock to help create kitchen appliances, surely enough.<br>"Hudson Greystone?" He had asked her. She nodded her head yes, while shaking in his grasp. "Well then! I know exactly where to go. The kitchen man's house always intrigued me." Hudson laughed in response.  
>"It's not that pretty on the inside." She told him. "It's got the shutters and the pink siding, but it's chaos once you step inside those doors!"<br>Honda gave them a glare. "Ya' leaving without me?"  
>Kinji frowned. "Yup!" He then dragged Hudson further down the alley and in the direction of her house. The smoke from Honda's cigarette still filled the air long after the left the alley. "He's not only hurting himself, but us too." Kinji commented, as he carefully stepped into the white boundary.<br>"I know that. It smells awful! That's why I don't do it!" They stepped further down the street. "I can't stand it at school!"'  
>Kinji was appalled. "They smoke at the white school?" He expected them to have more manners and more diligence. After all they had done to chastise the other races about having none.<br>"Yes, they do."  
>"Why?"<br>"We just do. I don't participate, but we have breaks for smoking."  
>He had found it quite odd. The whole conversation and the situation. He was flirting and falling in love with a white girl and he was on the white side of town. Also, he was walking her to where she lived with the kitchen man. Another thing he found out was that the whites were just as bad. But they had a excuse, he concluded. It was because they were white.<br>"Strange..." He pondered as he stood in front of the house. The home of the kitchen man. On past ventures with Honda, he would end up by this house. The pink shutters only grew pinker every season, while his home grew less white on contrary. It was like a big wad of bubblegum underneath the desk of town.  
>Hudson held his hand tighter. "We're here already?" She then loosened her grip. "It was nice talking to you."<br>Kinji examined her once again. She was staring at him again. Her eyes were almond shaped, he could barely see the green color from the light of the night. Her hair still was nothing but pitch black. "It was nice talking to you too.."  
>They both stood awkwardly at the edge of her yard. "Well.. I better to inside then, right?" She felt like she was missing something. A small beat wasn't being played, she knew she needed one more instrument to complete the song they were singing.<br>"No! Not yet!" She was walking to the door and turned back to see him still standing in the driveway. His shout had scared her a little, and the way his hand was reaching for her shocked her a little more.  
>"I need to say goodbye.." She walked back to him again. He held her hand. He was becoming needy of her, despite knowing her for barely twenty minutes.<br>"Alright.. I wanted to say thank you for bringing me home." The storm had ceased while they walked. Both were too absorbed in the conversation to notice. "You helped me get out of the storm."  
>"You're welcome, sweetheart." She laughed at his comment. He smiled back at her. The goal was to get her distracted long enough to keep her outside for a while. He wasn't sure if she'd say yes to his question.<br>"I was wondering, before you go.. If you want to go to the diner with me tomorrow? It's a Saturday.." He was trying to give her a excuse to go with him. He wanted her to feel validated. It was as if that racially accepting diner wasn't enough of a pull on her sleeve.  
>"Yes, I wouldn't mind. I want to know you better." She was feeling similar about him as he had for her, however, it was much less obvious and almost hidden under her neutral disguise. It was something that nobody could know but her, due to the circumstances. Even safe zones had prejudice. And being white, she knew that all too well.<br>"How does noon sound?"  
>"Alright. Actually, perfect." She smiled at him. She almost continued about the subject, but kept quiet.<br>"Wonderful. I'll see you then." They let go of each others hands. He waited until she got inside of the house. As she looked out her window, he waved.  
><em>And she waved back.<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_He felt nothing but nervous as he parked his motorcycle at the diner._  
>Like the day before, it was quite windy. The high was fifty, if he was lucky. His neighbor sped in by in his motorbike. He was out in a ride that day as well.<br>As his adult friend passed, water splashed on the concrete. Girls from behind the area got splashed with little drips and cursed his name as he sped ahead.  
>Nanahara needs to work on his ethic, doesn't he?<br>Kinji put his helmet into the storage bag on the back of his seat. It was already crammed with his extra helmet. That helmet was normally obtained by his brother, but for the day, he let Kinji borrow it.  
>He then stood by the window in the diner and patiently waited for Hudson to arrive.<br>_ "Rydell High School from Venice, California won the National Bandstand's high school dance contest..."_  
>While listening to the radio coming in from the diner, he pondered that thought. They never mentioned the three boys who were mooning the television during that exact program.<br>_ Well, it's the effort that counts_.  
>Hustled footsteps sounded through the sidewalk. Kinji looked up to see Hudson rushing towards him. "I'm sorry I'm late! I had to have a reason to leave... I didn't think it through."<br>"It's alright, I don't care. You don't need a excuse. Look, you're right on time!" He showed her his watch. It was exactly noon. "Don't fret, sweetheart."  
>"Thank you... For reassuring me."<br>He grasped her hand and grinned at her. He got a glimpse of her hair. It was a auburn color. It reminds me of fall...  
>"You're welcome. The pleasure's mine."<br>They walked in the restaurant hand in hand and all smiles. The music on the stereo only created a more exciting atmosphere.  
>"Go go, go Johnny go go! Go Johnny go go, go Johnny go go!"<br>They decided to sit the counter. Normally, they would only let whites sit at the counter. Hudson make the decision to contradict the rule. She was the daughter of the kitchen man, so she knew that they wouldn't object.  
>She was one to pick on when her father want watching, at least by the other girls. She was beyond attractive to the boys, however. Every once in awhile, one would try to pursue her. The denial was usually quicker than a flash of lightning; the boys went home running to the mothers.<br>"What would you like?" The waiter, one of the two boys who wasn't instantly denied, asked. He had broken up with Hudson a mere month before.  
>She saw him out with another girl. <em>She ended it like she should have earlier. With a flash.<em>  
>"Well... I'd like a milkshake." She told him. "And a basket of fries." The waiter stared at her as he wrote down the order in chicken scratch.<br>"And what about... Him. You brought 'im 'ere, didn't ya'?" His words came from him like the hiss of a snake. Sputtered out in intervals of dialogue and fluid.  
>"Yes, I did. And you better be kind. Your judgment's not stopping me from anything." Hudson gave him a frown. "Let him speak for himself."<br>Kinji looked at the waiter. "Give us two straws. And some ketchup on the side of those fries." The waiter added that to the order. "I know we've already got bad blood, Olsen. I don't wanna hear a bad word from you. Don't start me up, not here."  
>The waiter then looked back at Hudson. His vision and mind were both still clouded by the talk from the new, non-white boy she was supposedly dating. "What flavor do you want? For the milkshake."<br>"Strawberry." He wrote that down, still looking at her.  
>"Don't look at her like that!" Kinji looked at the waiter. The waiter stared back.<br>"But you can." He told his customer, put his pen on the counter and walked off. Hudson knew better than to cause anymore trouble. Even by explaining the situation, as much as it was needed.  
>"Who does that boy think he is anyway?" Kinji sighed. "Don't tell him, but I'm not leaving a tip."<br>"Good. If you love him, he'll leave you."  
>"He's a cheater then?"<br>"Yes, to say the least.." She looked at him. "You won't do that, will you?"  
>"No. I'm lucky I have friends, let alone..."<em> Am I implying too much?<em>  
>"I know. I understand." Hudson interrupted his thoughts. "People only like me for my looks and my father's appliances. My emotions are never a concern."<br>She glanced at the lights at the ceiling. _"People think we're just toys to play with. Only until they become involved.. Once it hits them that they've hurt someone, they run. It's racism. It's sexism. It's classism. It's the divide that breaks us apart, and we have to break that instead."_  
>Kinji was shocked she had said anything. He knew she wasn't stupid. Her views were ahead of her time. Not one girl like her did he know who opposed racism. It was Arkansas, for Pete's sake! It was something he had to accept.<br>In other words, he radically accepted racism. He was shocked to have Hudson not judge him. He was shocked she had no cares. She liked him for who he was.  
>"I agree. Hopefully, one day, they will."<br>She nodded her head and changed the subject.  
>"We've become more accepting.. To blacks, anyway. I'm unsure if they've forgiven the Japanese yet. I know you had no involvement with Pearl Harbor, but you know it goes.."<br>"We're still gonna be stuck where we're at for a while. In fifty years, it'll still be about that. We're Americans now. It's our native country who did it, not us. But we take the blame for everything the dictator does. Still."  
>"I wish I understood what it was like... To be oppressed. I'm quite lucky to be who I am... I'm thankful I'm not on that side of the story."<br>"Be thankful, feel lucky. I just wish someday they'd realize we weren't the ones who came up with Pearl Harbor. I'd do anything but damage my country. We came here to be part of it. They shouldn't question out loyalty. We came here to be the quintessence of what we stand for. Loyal, working, citizens."  
>As he was awed of her testimony, she was awed of his. "My ancestors did all of that stuff. Nobody would fight if they didn't just... Know who was human or not. It's not about color. It's about attitude." She put her hand over his, which was rightfully shaped in a fist.<br>As he felt her touch, his fingers slid back on the laminate counter.  
>He felt better; he felt safe.<br>A different waiter from before sat their milkshake in front of them. The two straws were already placed in it. "The second I heard Olsen complain, I knew to take it over." It was a boy named Jerry Milson, who Hudson knew from school. He was on the football team with Derek (Olsen). "He was gonna spit in this thing.. And listen, don't leave him a tip."  
>Jerry was kind and well mannered towards all races, like Hudson. He had been careful to not rile Derek by simply taking over his job. He knew what it was all about. He knew Hudson would run off with someone else one day, but he didn't expect it to be so soon.<br>"Thank you so much, Jerry!" He placed the fries on the table, taking note of Hudson's gesture. "He was being really rude earlier."  
>"How's that?" Jerry questioned her.<br>"Well, he was more mean to Utsumi. He insulted him and you know where that goes..."  
>"He wanted to call the manager and ask him to leave. So, the manager came and saw no harm in letting your friend stay." Kinji intertwined his fingers with Hudson's as Jerry spoke.<br>It was almost natural to respond to him, as Hudson did nothing but grip his hand right back.  
>"He's so awful sometimes."<br>"I know, and I'll get you those fries. You stay right there!" Jerry ran off to receive the second half of their order.  
>"He's a nice guy. Hopefully he waits on us for a while."<br>"Hopefully." Hudson gazed at the milkshake and took a sip. He was too busy watching her to notice that they already had it.  
>"Come on, try some! It's good!" He reluctantly drank some of the milkshake. Then he drank more, and a little more on top of that.<br>"Don't guzzle it all up!" Hudson laughed and playfully shoved his shoulder.  
>"I'll buy us another! Don't worry!" Unknowingly, he thought he was paying the bill. She assumed it was her and brought her own money. He had money with him to last a while. He worked at the oriental food market run by his grandmother in Little Rock. He made plenty of money, as his dumplings were famed by many citizens, white and Asian alike.<br>"You're paying?"  
>"Yep."<br>"I brought money..."  
>"I've got the tab, you're fine, sweetheart."<br>Every time he said that, he got more and more romantic. And her heart would skip one more beat. They both secretly hoped they would have a kiss by the end of the night, that was, if they stayed together all day as he planned.  
>"I don't know how many times I've said thank you today.." She told him.<br>"You worry too much. It worries me." He chuckled at the irony of his statement.  
>Jerry came running back. "The ketchup's on the side, just like you ordered." A small cup of ketchup was placed on the counter, along with the fries. "You need a refill on that?"<br>Jerry was pointing at the milkshake. It was almost completely gone.  
>"Yes, sir!" Kinji took the last few drops of it and gave it to Jerry. "We still need two straws."<br>Jerry laughed. "How could I forget that?" Jerry knew Derek was still angry, he saw him moping around the kitchen. He brought this upon himself... He thinks lashing out's gonna help him.. He can make a salad away from me when he does.  
>"Thank you." He gave Jerry a nickel. "Play a song for us, will you?"<br>"Like what?"  
>"Anything."<br>"Sure..." After a while, while they ate their fries, a song played.  
><em> "Stars shining bright above you, night breezes seem to whisper I love you. Birds singin' in the sycamore tree; Dream a little dream of me.."<em>  
>Jerry put a milkshake on the counter. Hudson acknowledged him with a nod and a "Thank you!"<br>Hudson ate her fries plain, while Kinji dipped his in the ketchup. "After we're done here, where do you want to go?" She asked him, causing him to sit up straighter and become more alert.  
>"You weren't plannin' on goin' home?"<br>"No. I wanted to stay out all day... If you don't mind having me around."  
>"No, no. I don't mind at all!" He stirred one of the fries around in the milkshake.<br>He picked up the strawberry doused fry and ate it. Hudson decided to do that same. She found it quite delicious and dipped another in it. And another. She had to revel that time she had outside of home. She had no desire to go back to the pepto-bismol pink house out of the neutral zone.  
><em> No way.<em>  
>After an other minute, they both placed their hands in the basket. Both of them searched blindly for another French fry. They finally came to the conclusion, that after a few seconds of groping around the parchment paper, that there was only one left.<br>"You have it, sweetheart. I'm stuffed!" Kinji had felt it was the polite thing to do. Hudson, however, felt a little guilty.  
>The fry was in the wrong hands, she thought. He was paying for lunch anyway. "No, you take it." She hadn't even put her dainty grip on it.<br>"No... Let's just split it."  
>It was the strangest thing she had ever heard. It wasn't even that large of a piece. Split it? That's absurd? Aren't we supposed to be fighting? It was a different scenario than when she took her father out. Or when she took Derek out, that one time, for that matter. She remembered he insisted on having the last one. <em>Good times...<em>  
>"That sounds fine." She was a little confused, and he saw that.<em> It was her first glimpse into a poorer world. Outside of kitchen appliances and glistening metal, there was dirt and grime left and right. It was her first vision of one of the results of racism.<em>  
>She split in half and handed him the larger half. "I'm not quite used to doing things like this."<br>"Don't sweat it.. Really." He ate his fry, helped her drink the rest of the milkshake, and left a bill and tip for Jerry.  
>Jerry's name was written in bright, red, ink. A long, matching, scraggly line was scribbled underneath. Finally, "be careful" written in kanji was written underneath the whole thing. Even Kinji couldn't handle Derek anymore.<br>_It was completely apparent then._


	3. Chapter 3

A quick author's note here! So... I decided to separate this from the rest of chapter 2. maybe it doesn't deserve it's own spot. But, whatever. *sigh*

- Scout.

_He watched as they walked out of the diner. He had nothing more to worry about._  
>"Jerry!" He called his fellow teammate and coworker over.<br>"What?" Jerry was just finished serving "the kitchen man" lunch.  
>"How was it?" Derek's tone of voice was snakelike again, angry, and absolutely unhappy by all means.<br>"Fine."  
>"Fine?" Derek snapped, as he started washing the dishes.<br>"Completely in every which way. He gave me a extra two percent on my tip."  
>"He paid?"<br>"That's how dates work, don't they? You should know that."  
>Derek was taken a little aback by what Jerry just said.<br>"I know that..."  
>"Good. Those dishes won't wash themselves." A piece of paper slid across the wire. It was a order for Jerry to take. "Listen, I gotta go. And you have to get over it. What you did, I admit, was awful. It's right to be happening to you."<br>Jerry walked away to take his order. The order was for Hudson's father once again. It was another shot of coffee. He took almost no time to put it in a mug and hand it over.  
>"Thank you, kid." He glanced out the window, where he saw his daughter talking to her date. "She doesn't listen to a thing I say." He sighed, sipping his coffee.<br>"She's fine. I just spoke to her. He's a nice guy. Don't worry."  
>Her father mumbled something to himself, then he spoke aloud to Jerry. "She's smart. I shouldn't care. She's gonna come back."<br>Jerry nodded his head and watched them silently. _If only she would notice me..._


	4. Chapter 4

_ Hudson was becoming anxious as he handed her the helmet._  
>"My father doesn't let me ride... I don't know if this is a good idea."<br>"It's fine.I'll make sure you don't get hurt." Kinji cradled her wrists for a few seconds. "I've been riding for a while now, I know the ways of the road."  
>She smiled. She felt slightly more secure. "Where are we going?"<br>"Bentonville. They've got much more food down there. It's the only place in the state that has those shortbread cookies I like."  
>Hudson was on edge, her security faded. She was getting worried. They segregate Bentonville... Quite strictly. It's not like here... Not safe... "I don't know if it's a good idea... You know how they are."<br>"I do. But I usually get let in. I've been faithful to them. It's the only way I get those cookies, sweetheart. We'll be fine." He took himself one step further. He held her hands and kissed her on the cheek.  
>Her face immediately flushed a bright, rosy red. Early on, he seemed like the nervous one. Now, she was taking his place.<br>He was still quite fidgety. He tripped over the concrete as he tried to lead Hudson to his motorbike.  
>" Are you alright?"<br>"I'm fine. Please... Put on your helmet." He was exposing his softer, more close side. _He was growing close to her and was fully prepared to give her his trust. And his love._  
>Hudson buckled on her helmet as instructed and waited from him.<br>Kinji sat down on the motorcycle. "Just come sit behind me. Hold on tight and you'll be fine. Riding isn't as dangerous as you think."  
>She felt like she could trust him, so, she sat down on the soft, yet rugged leather seat of the motorcycle. She wrapped her arms around Kinji as if she was giving him a hug.<br>_She held onto him for dear life._  
>"We're not even moving yet! Hold on! Relax!" Hudson only loosened her grip slightly. He revved up the engine and started the bicycle. "Now you can squeeze me. At first, it'll feel a little fast, but you'll get used to it."<br>"Fast?"  
>"You're so funny! But you're correct, we wouldn't be riding motorbikes if they were slow! Actin' like a snail's no fun, is it?"<br>Before Hudson could say no, they sped off. She pulled him even closer to her and screamed. The speed was unbelievable to her; she thought she was at the brink of death. Her ponytail beat the back of her neck quickly and flew in the air like a flag. Some of her hair was annoyingly sticking to her face.  
>"You're safe. Don't worry." If had he not been driving, he would have put his hand securely over hers. Alas, that would have killed them both. He had two lives to worry about. Both of which were valuable to him.<br>"We're going all the way to Bentonville, like this?"  
>"Yeah." He was too exhilarated by the wind, the open road, and Hudson herself to even respond to her reasonably.<br>"Well... It's gonna be a long ride." She sat her forehead softly on his shoulder and saw the asphalt underneath her feet. It wasn't moving a inch, yet it looked like it had rushed behind them.  
>For a while longer, they went on the highway. Being extremely careful of the traffic, Kinji didn't focus on his date. As much as he wanted to utter a word to her, he wanted to keep her safe. He had no intentions of crashing and dying that day.<br>Hudson finally got acclimated to the wind and frigid cold of riding the motorcycle. The warmth she felt on her chest, Kinji's body heat, made up for it. She thought maybe she'd like to go on a ride again.  
>The clouds were parting when they got to Bentonville. It was becoming warmer and brighter. They ended up parking in front of the Five and Dime, the local market in Bentonville.<br>"Well, we're here." Kinji tells her, as he unbuckled his helmet. "Can I have yours, please?" She handed him the helmet quietly, realizing he had went through with what he had said.  
>"The Five and Dime? Are you sure?"<br>"I'm positive."  
>"We better be quick then.." Her fright caused him to feel the same. On the way there, a big pit was opening in his stomach.<br>Maybe she's right..  
>They became slightly more distant and walked into the store. Hudson's money was still in her hidden pocket. <em>I'm gonna have to pay for this, I just know it.<em>  
>The store wasn't crowded at all by any means. It was quiet and every single step they took echoed into the air.<br>Kinji immediately rushed to grab the box, he clutched it in his hands tightly. Hudson knew, despite them only meeting the night before, he never acted like that. It wasn't normal for him to be in such a hurry.  
>The bell on the door rang. He took one glance behind him. He whispered a obscenity to himself before grabbing Hudson's wrist. While reaching for her, he almost dropped his box.<br>"What's happening?"  
>"You were right." He dragged her into another aisle in a effort to get her away from the new customer.<br>Hudson got a glimpse of the cane the old woman was using. "You mean that little old lady?"  
>"Yes. She curses like a sailor. She still thinks we're in the Confederacy. I heard she waves the flag proud in her yard."<br>He then dragged her back to the first aisle. They didn't want her to see them. For a long while, the shuffle went on. Back and forth, they went through aisles. After a while, the woman saw Hudson's shoes.  
>"Who goes there?" She raised her cane. This is it..<br>Hudson made a split decision and stood out for the woman to see her. "It's just me, ma'am. I'm just shopping."  
>"You're not from here... Are you?"<br>"No, I'm on my way home from... North Dakota."  
>"You're lyin' to me!" The woman wasn't messing around. "Bring the boy out. Come on. He's been here before."<br>Hudson was too scared to even move. "You don't have all day, little girl. I'm gonna wait right here. In this spot!"  
>Hudson felt sweat roll down her neck. "I'm all-" She was interrupted.<br>"You caught me again, Mrs. Wilson. I know I don't belong here." Kinji had saved Hudson in the nick of time.  
>"Of course you don't belong here! The colored side of town's that way!" Kinji crossed his arms.<br>"Maybe if Mr. Walton let other people stock these cookies in Jacksonville, I wouldn't have to come all the way out here for 'em. If I didn't have to come all the way out here, I wouldn't. I don't like dealing with you." He frowned. "I don't know how you always manage to be here at the exact same time as me. I can't ever go to the Five and Dime without little Mrs. Wilson in my tail!"  
>"I can smell trouble all the way from Little Rock! I know when you're comin'!"<br>Kinji pulled Hudson back towards him. "I'll see you later, . I wanna go to the drive-in. I can't stay here much longer."  
><em>"First, you steal our country. Then, you steal our cities. Then, you steal our grocery store. And now, you're stealing our girls!"<em>  
>Kinji silently paid for the cookies. It was another dime in the store's pocket, so the man at the register had no complaints. However, when he spotted , he started to speak again.<br>_"You've gotta leave, sir. It's whites only."_  
>"Well, I was going to leave anyway."<br>Kinji felt that he had enough. He felt that he had no reason to be treated the way he had, as he had done the exact same thing the elderly woman had done.  
><em>"Scram! Go back to the east!"<em>  
>Kinji was as Hudson was with ; scared. His mind had broken down to mush. He had no way to speak and let out his anger. He was done.<br>_"So, mister, do you think that heritage defines us?"_ Hudson asked a off topic question, causing the cashier to take a step back.  
>"Yes, it does."<br>"Really? Huh?"  
>The cashier looked at the schoolgirl in confusion. "Of course! Why, It's the one thing that makes us.. Us."<br>_ "Alright. Define my friend then, define him. You've defined us. Define him."_  
>The man became disgruntled and went silent. She expected a answer from him. Still, she continued.<br>"Why can't you come up with anything?"  
>"Well..."<br>"You're only thinking of bad things, aren't you?"  
>The only response was sulking shame. The man never felt guilty about being a racist, but he felt that way about disappointing the white girl standing in front of him.<br>"_Heritage defines us, yes, but not by color. If defines our wins and our losses; our ups and our downs. His culture has done bad, but it has also done good. America has done good, but it has also done bad." _ She cleared her throat before continuing._ "Heritage defines us humans as a whole. The fact that we have it alone. We're not stupid, we can think for ourselves. Go ahead and do that, but Kinji's good as he is."_  
>She turned away from the man before he could respond. His eyes darted back from her to his hands. He was starting to realize the prejudice he felt.<br>He shook as they walked away. Mrs Wilson sat down a box of the same cookies on the register, along with a few other candies.  
><em>"That damn rascal!"<em>


	5. Chapter 5

_Once again, they ended up on the motorbike. The wind was warmer and the sky was bluer. All was in their favor._  
>Kinji knew if he went at the exact correct speed, they would end up in Jacksonville again for the movie by sunset.<br>"You were real brave out there." He uttered as the passed a pink Cadillac. "You really showed that man who was boss."  
>Hudson breathed in the smell of his leather jacket. "Well... Thank you. I was only stating a fact."<br>"You sounded like the president. You were makin' a huge speech. All for me."  
>"It was on the spot.. I didn't write it."<br>"I know that.. I'm just honored. I feel lucky to have had you there to defend me."  
>Hudson sighed. "I feel lucky to have you around. To call you a friend."<br>Kinji was almost silenced by that. Just a friend? Is she sure?  
>"You don't mind if I ask you a question, do you?" He didn't want to shock her. Maybe she'll say no and jump off the motorbike...<br>"No. I don't mind at all."  
>He started to shake. And she knew exactly what he was going to say.<br>_"Can we just make it official?"_  
>"Sure!" Hudson laughed. <em>'I've been waiting all day for you to ask!"<em>  
><em>So... She's staying on the bike, then?<em>  
>He remained silent. He was nervous, he had nothing to say.<br>"Do you agree with me?"  
>"I asked you the question!"<br>She become embarrassed and hid her face. She watched the wheels of the cars nearby spin.  
>"I know you did... I wasn't sure if you were listening or not." She held him a little tighter. "What movie are we watching?"<br>"No Time for Sergeants. It's the only thing at the drive-in right now. I've seen it a few times already."  
>"Oh. So are we even watching it?"<br>"We are. It's pretty funny."  
>"After a few times, still?"<br>"I think so. I've got nothing to do but go there sometimes. I hope they get a new movie soon... I'm getting a little bored of it."  
>She went into deep thought. How could Kinji lead such a boring life? A lonely life for that matter. To see the same movie three times, to stand in the alley every evening. Not when he had to work all of the time. She didn't get it, so she asked him about it.<br>"I work. I just have a lot of free time. Somehow. I make the dumplings at the market, work the register for a few hours and then I go home. In the summer, anyway. Today and tomorrow are days off for me. My grandmother insisted on it."  
>"Your friend talked about her. And how she tells you stories."<br>"He did. And she does. Maybe later I can tell you one."  
>"What kind of stories?"<br>"Stories of the war.. Mostly Japanese things. Our family moved to the US in the thirties, a while before I was born."  
>"So, you barely had a chance to settle then?"<br>"Yes. They cooped us up in Arizona during the Second World War. We stayed there for a while. We were lucky to leave and come here."  
>"Where were you before?"<br>"Indiana. We thought it was too cold. We just drove until we stopped here."  
>"Why here? In this dump?" She clarified her hatred for the town. Even the acceptance wasn't good enough. They're treated nothing like us still. Like they're heathens. Well, my family doesn't ever go to church, and we, are apparently not.<br>"The car stopped running, Hudson. It spattered out it's last drop of gas right in the Mecca. Here."  
>"It wasn't much of a choice then?"<br>"Nah."  
>The town's welcome sign beckoned them; the sun was just going down. They had arrived.<br>Kinji sped up his bike a little more. "We're gonna be late!"  
>He stopped at the town gas station and filled up tank. He told Hudson they were running low when they arrive there.<br>The problem with the gas station, however, was it was run by one of the Olsens. He wasn't racially prejudiced, but by then, he had heard his nephew's tale.  
><em>"Hey! You!"<em> It was the voice of Derek's uncle. Loud, booming, and critical. Not a single person in the gas station had a clue as he was referring to.  
><em>"I gotta talk to you!"<em> The voice got louder, the people were more confused.  
><em>"Come on! You're singled out! We all see ya'!"<em> They all realized who he was talking to right then. It was solely a caucasian gas station. Despite it being the only one in town. Rarely did any of the minorities own cars or motorbikes, unlike the Utsumis, who had two of both.  
>Kinji was filling the tank with gas still. "What do you need, sir? What are you calling me out for?" He saw the machine ring. The meter gave him exactly what he needed, no less. He screwed the cap back onto the tank and place the pump in it's usual spot.<br>"My nephew."  
>"What about him?"<br>_"You stole his girl! You stole her right from under his feet!"_  
>The witnesses were still perplexed. They knew all about the gossip. That boy did a bad deed; that relationship was over.<br>"She wasn't stolen. Nobody had her."  
>"She was still with him, was she not?"<br>"It's all in your head, Tate. She wasn't with him. Not for a month solid."  
>"And how did you know that?"<br>Tate Olsen was nothing but right to suspect him, as Hudson hasn't told him that. He heard it during a day at school, as the whites were a popular topic in the Asian school.  
>"I heard it at school, rumors fly around that far too. Our versions of this place are merged. I don't ever go a day without hearing about you, Mr. Olsen."<br>Hudson stood listless as she listened to them. _Oh no... Mister Tate... No, don't speak anymore!_  
>For a second, he tried to think of a good response. One that would send his enemy running back to where he came from. "Ask her then." He pointed his finger at Hudson. "She knows what we don't."<br>Kinji questioned her, much to his dismay. He knew he had to be on good terms with this man. He wouldn't be able to take her anywhere again if he wasn't.  
>"What you said was true. It's been a month. Almost two. I decided to just end it, because he seemed like he wanted nothing to do with me. If he hadn't gone to the festival with Mary Ann, I probably would have stayed with him."<br>Mr. Olsen's smile faltered. "The festival? He said he went with you and you broke up with him there. I don't understand..."  
>Hudson sighed. "He's a manipulator. He thinks he can have two at once. He thought I'd never find out. And he thought you'd never find out. And he's still with her now." She grabbed her helmet. "And if you excuse us, we'll be leaving. We have a movie to catch."<br>Tate Olsen frowned. "And... You were right." He looked at Kinji, then at the meter. "And I want my two dollars from you!"  
>"And I'll gladly give 'em to you." He took out two, newly printed bills, supposedly from Little Rock. "There you go sir. Have a nice evening!"<br>Tate put his two dollars in his pocket and grunted. His arms were crossed and he glared out at the road. The two lovebirds sped away in their motorbike in the twilight.  
><em>Dammit! He's got some explainin' to do!<em>


	6. Chapter 6

_They arrived at the drive-in in the nick of time. The trailers were just starting when they had arrived._  
>"Where are we going?" Hudson asked Kinji.<br>"The back. We're not allowed up front. It's the manager's orders."  
>"Well, he's a square!"<br>Kinji laughed at her comment. He'd never heard a girl like her use that term before._ It's cute. It's kinda clever... I like it._  
>"You're right about that for sure, sweetheart."<br>Kinji parked his motorbike next to Ryo Honda's yellow car. He found it at the dump and fixed it all by himself. He took pride in it and loved it more than his mother, according to what he said himself.  
>"Utsumi! You made it! And you brought your bird with you!"<br>He was standing against the car with a girl Hudson had never met before. She was a girl from somewhere like Mexico or Cuba. In Hudson's eyes, she was a pretty girl.  
>She assumed it was a double date. <em>So much for my kiss...<em>  
>"Her name's Hudson, right?" Ryo asked as he stomped a cigarette on the dirt.<br>"Yep." Kinji took his eyes off of her for a second to talk to his friend.  
>"Well.. I wanna introduce her to Sammy." The other girl turned to Ryo, having heard him mention her.<br>"Sammy, this is Hudson." Ryo told her, gesturing his arm towards Hudson. "Hudson, this is Sammy."  
>The girls shook hands and chitchatted a little. They discussed the things you would when are being introduced by a friend. "So.. You're Utsumi's girl?"<br>"As of today, yes." Hudson tried to hide her blush under the moonlight.  
>"That's wonderful! You're so sweet together!" Sammy leaned to whisper in Hudson's ear. "Have you kissed him yet?"<br>"No.."  
>Sammy grasped her new friend's shoulders. "Do it tonight. While we're watching the movie. Do it!"<br>Hudson nodded her head yes, almost in a panic.  
>Meanwhile, Kinji and Ryo were having their own discussion.<br>"So.. You had the guts to ask her out?"  
>"Yeah... I didn't want to forget her. I think she's the one."<br>"Good for you, bud! So... Have you kissed her yet?"  
>"On her cheek.."<br>"Go for the lips!"  
>Kinji looked at his friend with hesitance. "Nah. I think Nanahara's around. You know how he is..."<br>"He's got a wife and a kid to worry about."  
>"Chi's not here tonight. It's just him and Nori."<br>"If he's got Nori around, he could care less about what you're doin'!"  
>Kinji nodded his head, pretending to be completely assured.<br>"The movie's gonna start any minute. I'll let you sit with her on top of my car. You'll be alone that way."  
>The click of the camera indicated the beginning of the movie. The couples immediately ran back to each other. Ryo and Sammy went in the car to watch the movie and went out of view.<br>Doing what she had with friends in the past, Hudson started to try climb on top of Ryo's car. She needed no instruction; she knew the routine. Kinji shortly followed, being careful not to scratch the car.  
><em>It was too prized, he decided. If you damage the car, you damage the owner as well.<em>  
>The view of the movie was much more clear up in the air. Being in the last row of the drive-in gave them the best advantage above the ground. On the ground, however, was a different story.<br>Ryo and Sammy could barely see the screen. Both of them were frustrated, almost enough to breach their friend's privacy.  
>After both Hudson and Kinji hoisted themselves on top of the car, the settled themselves so they could sit comfortably. The metal was quite cold. And so was the outside.<br>"Are you cold?" Kinji heard the sound of teeth chattering. Obviously, it was Hudson. Her eyes weren't on him, but on Andy Griffith.  
>"Yes. It's freezing out here!"<br>Kinji slipped off his leather jacket and put it over her shoulders. "There."  
>"Thank you." She scooted over close to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.<br>The butterflies flew in her stomach. She then said what she had intended to earlier that day. _"I love you."_  
>Kinji then put his arm around her. <em>"I love you too."<em>  
>They took a little more time to watch the movie and laugh at the jokes made between the soldiers. Throughout the movie, they stayed huddled together. It was peaceful and quiet. Neither of them had made a single move yet.<br>"Utsumi? Is that you up there?" A familiar voice called to him in the dark. Kinji turned from Hudson to see who was calling him.  
>"Nanahara?<br>"Yes?"  
>"What are ya' doing here?"<em> I was about to kiss her... He just had to come now!<em>  
>"Just watching the movie with my wife! And you?"<br>"About the same."  
>The famed motorbike rider, Presley worshiper, and racially neutral English tutor; Shuya Nanahara glanced over to get a better look at his friend's date.<br>"If it isn't Miss Hudson Greystone!"  
>Hudson laughed. "It is, you're right!"<br>He tutored her before, back in junior high when she had almost failed to pass her linguistics final. She had a chance to take it again and consulted him for help. The next time, she remembered she had earned a much better grade. Due to the barriers of the town, they hadn't met much since then.  
>"What brings you over here, in the back?"<br>Even from above, the tutor and his wife saw her face turn bright red.  
>"She's my girlfriend now, Nanahara."<br>Noriko, Shuya's wife, was a little perplexed by the sight. "I would've never guessed!"  
>Kinji laughed and looked at them. "Honestly, me either!" The ritual of yelling and shouting over from the truck and on the ground was getting tedious for all of them.<br>"Well, we're gonna get going! I'll see you both around later!" The pair walked off, leaving the newly bonded couple alone once again.  
>They settled back into the movie, and having missed the climax, it had become quite confusing for both of them.<br>Hudson put on the jacket completely to stay warm. "Thank you... For the jacket." She looked at Kinji, in his short sleeved shirt, she thought he was cold too. "Are you cold too?"  
>"Nah." He lied. He thought it was a little chilly, but knew he could tough it out. He had to for her. "If you want, keep the jacket for a few days. You look cute in it." He smiled at her sheepishly.<br>_It's now or never!_  
>He looked at her face once more and looked straight into her eyes. She stared right back at him instinctively.<br>He tucked a few stray strands of her auburn hair behind her ear; almost confirming what was going to happen next.  
>Then, they both made the final move at the same time. Nothing other than what Kinji had just did led up to it. <em>Their lips touched and their hands reached for each other. And that was that.<em>  
>They broke away afterwards, feeling warm and fuzzy inside. "Hudson, I love you." He told her.<em> It was the first time he said it to a girl first. She was the first girl to say it to him at all.<em>  
>She smiled. "I love you too..." She trailed off and gazed into his eyes again. <em>She kissed his lips again, this time, it lingered in much longer. It wasn't just a simple peck that time, but swift movements from both sides. What they were doing echoed what they couldn't through speech.<em>  
><em>Emotions.<em>  
>As they kissed, the credits rolled. The film projector clicked, confirming that the movie had ended. Hudson and Kinji stopped abruptly at the sound of a bang on the side of the car.<br>"Hey! It was Ryo. He still knocking on the door. "We've gotta go home! Stop dawdling and let's go!"  
>Ryo could tell his friend was a bit fazed. He had ruined something, he knew it. When Kinji helped Hudson back on the ground, he finally asked.<br>"Well... I did what I promised you I would."  
>Ryo laughed. "I saw it, I know. And you better get her home now, bud! Her parents are gonna kill you!"<br>Kinji handed Hudson her helmet as he listened to his friend rambled on.  
>"It took eighteen years for you to get a girl... I'm so proud of ya' Utsumi!"'<br>_I didn't need to rush... I just waited. And it paid off... Who knows what would've happened if I didn't go with Honda to the alley last night?_  
>He then got on his motorcycle, lacking his leather jacket. He decided he didn't need it. It had gotten a little warmer during the movie. "Well.. I'm glad you're happy, Honda. I'll see you at school on Monday!"<br>Ryo frowned. "Monday? We're not going riding tomorrow?"  
>"No! I'm staying with her!"<br>"Aww man!"  
>Kinji revved the engine. He waved his had slightly from the handlebar, indicting he had said goodbye. They left Ryo and Sammy alone, in the dust of the dirt.<br>The ride to her house was much shorter, it felt like it only lasted a second to her before she made it to the bright, bubblegum pink house close to the triple border.  
>When they skidded in front of her house, her father was already sitting on his rocking chair on the front porch. The noise made him lower the newspaper from his face.<br>He saw her and covered his face back up, not wanting to acknowledge the boy who brought his daughter home.  
>"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Hudson asked asked Kinji as she took off her helmet.<br>"Yes. I'll meet you in the... Alley. The same alley where we met."  
>"That sounds fine. At noon?" She stepped put off of the bike and saw her father tapping his feet.<br>"That sounds perfect." Kinji kicked the kickstand down, let his feet touch the ground, and stood up.  
>"Goodbye..." He looked into Hudson's eyes and kissed her again, taking her by surprise. Her father's eyes opened wide at the sight of it. As he kissed her, his daughter kissed the boy right back.<br>They pulled apart at rapid speed, remembering the presence of her father.  
>They were still touching each other's faces. "Goodbye..." Hudson told Kinji, as she slowly dropped her hand from her face. "Tomorrow..."<br>"Tomorrow." He reassured her. "We'll be together again tomorrow." They both gave each other anxious smiles as he walked back to his motorbike; she walked towards to the porch, to her father.  
>"How was your night?" He questioned, as she stared out at Kinji.<br>"Good. Yours?"  
>"Awful." He groaned. "Your last boyfriend was much different..." He didn't dare continue. He only looked up at his daughter.<br>She frowned at him. "Think what you like, father. I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright?"  
>The motorbike was taking a little long to start. She ran inside to sit on the couch and continued to look outside, this time, through the window.<br>She waved to him from the window. Right before he drove off, he waved back.  
>Her father stared at her looking out the window. <em>It was then he realized she was really in love with Kinji. There was no stopping her, he confirmed. He just let her go... Just like a feather in the wind<em>.


End file.
